A cleaning assembly

Abstract: This invention discloses a cleaning assembly comprising a wet tissue, a liquid impermeable packet containing the wet tissue and a dry liquid absorbent tissue mounted onto the liquid impermeable packet.

Description: The present invention relates generally to cleaning assemblies. Various types of cleaning assemblies are known. The following U.S. Patents are believed to be representative of the most relevant prior art: 2,841,147; 2,925,084; 3,054,403; 3,144,866; 3,337,117; 3,401,695; 3,545, 604; 3,896, 807; 4,159,718; 4,484,904; 4,723,956; 5,006,339. Further, US-A-5,111,934 discloses a cleaning assembly comprising a flat, flexible, liquid impermeable packet having two separate, stacked, fluid-tight chambers. In the first chamber a dry towel is enclosed, In the second chamber a wetted sponge is enclosed. The wetted sponge is used for cleansing and the dry towel is used for drying the cleansed area. The chamber containing the wetted sponge does not contain a supply of liquid in addition to the liquid absorbed in the sponge. The present invention seeks to provide an improved cleaning assembly. There is thus provided in accordance with the present invention a cleaning assembly comprising a wet tissue and a liquid impermeable packet lying generally in a plane and containing the wet tissue, the cleaning assembly being characterised in that the liquid permeable packet further comprises a supply of cleansing liquid and a movable nozzle element selectably extendible from the liquid impermeable packet in a direction generally co-planar therewith. According to the invention the cleaning assembly may further comprise a dry liquid absorbent tissue mounted onto the liquid impermeable packet. Preferably, the liquid impermeable packet is generally elongate and extends along a longitudinal axis and the nozzle element extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. In accordance with a preferred embodiment present invention, the nozzle element is integrally formed with a spring. Preferably, the assembly also includes a retractable piercing element which is located within the nozzle element. Preferably, the dry liquid absorbent tissue includes a multiple ply tissue whose plies are separable and separately foldable. Additionally, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the packet serves as a liquid impermeable backing for the dry liquid absorbent tissue during use thereof. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the integrally formed spring includes a compression spring. The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings in which: Figs. 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D illustrate an intimate cleaning assembly in respective exploded view, partially disassembled and fully assembled orientations; Fig. 2 illustrates a user of the cleaning assembly holding the apparatus. Figs. 3A and 3B illustrate the nozzle assembly in respective storage and piercing orientations; Figs. 3C and 3D illustrate the nozzle assembly in respective extending and extended orientations. Reference is now made to Figs. 1A-3D, which illustrate a cleaning assembly constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The cleaning assembly preferably comprises a liquid impermeable enclosure 10, typically formed as a sleeve which is heat sealed along lines 12, 13 and 14 and is provided with a tear start notch 16 at one end thereof. The heat seals along lines 13 and 14 are complete and define liquid impermeable seals, while the heat seal along line 12 is partial and allows the flow of liquid therepast. Thus, between the partial seal 12 and the edge 13 of the enclosure 10, a pocket 40 is formed. A nozzle assembly 20 is inserted into the pocket 40, as shown in Fig. 1B. The purpose of the pocket 40 is to retain the nozzle assembly 20 within the upper section of the enclosure 10 without restricting its movement therewithin. In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the nozzle assembly 20 is placed within an envelope (not shown) made of such material as plastic sheet. The envelope includes a plurality of orifices in the base thereof and placed in the pocket 40 such that the orifices face the partial seal line 12. Disposed within enclosure 10 between lines 12 and 14 is a supply of disinfecting or otherwise cleansing liquid as well as a wet tissue 18, preferably impregnated with such liquid. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, disposed between sealing lines 12 and 13 is a nozzle assembly for permitting ejection of the cleaning liquid from inside enclosure 10 in a transverse direction relative to the elongate axis 22 of the enclosure, so as to enable the liquid to be readily sprayed into a body cavity. Additionally, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a multiple ply wiping tissue 24 is preferably attached to one flat surface of enclosure 10, such that the enclosure 10 can serve as a liquid impermeable backing and support for the wiping tissue 24 (Fig. 1D). One or more of the plies of tissue 24 may be removable from engagement with enclosure 10. Nozzle assembly 20 preferably includes a pointed piercing portion 26 and a nozzle portion 28. The nozzle portion 28 is preferably injection moulded as one piece and includes a hollow cylindrical portion 30 joined by an integral spring 32 to an end portion 34. Piercing portion 26 is normally seated within cylindrical portion 30 and spring 32, as seen in Fig. 1B. The nozzle assembly 20 is placed in the pocket 40, as illustrated in Fig. 1B. A preferred embodiment of the present invention, held in the hand of a user, is illustrated in Fig. 2. As seen in Figs. 3A-3D, pushing on end portion 34, as by the thumb of a user, in an axial direction, causes piercing portion 26 to emerge, point first, from cylindrical portion 30 and to pierce the wall of enclosure 10 adjacent thereto. Further pushing on end portion 34 causes the cylindrical portion to extend transversely outwardly of enclosure 10 by a selected distance. Release of the end portion 34 allows the piercing portion 26 to retract within cylindrical portion 30, as seen in Fig. 3D, but allows the cylindrical portion 30 to remain extended through the pierced wall of enclosure 10, as shown. The cleansing fluid flows through the partial seal 12, as indicated by the arrows 38 and through the opening 36 of the nozzle portion 28. When used for intimate cleansing or disinfecting, the wet tissue 18 may be used for cleansing a body cavity or other region and the dry tissue 24 may be used for absorbing moisture and drying the cleansed area. It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited by what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather the scope of the present invention is defined only by the claims which follow:

Claims: A cleaning assembly comprising: a wet tissue (18) and a liquid impermeable packet (10) lying generally in a plane and containing said wet tissue (18), characterised in that the liquid impermeable packet (10) further comprises a supply of cleansing liquid and a movable nozzle element (28) selectably extendible from the liquid impermeable packet (10) in a direction generally co-planar therewith. A cleaning assembly according to claim 1, characterised in that it further comprises a dry liquid absorbent tissue (24) mounted onto the liquid impermeable packet (10). A cleaning assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the liquid impermeable packet is generally elongate and extends along a longitudinal axis and that the nozzle element (28) extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. A cleaning assembly according to any of the preceding claims, charactised in that the nozzle element (28) is integrally formed with a spring (32). A cleaning assembly according to claim 4, characterised in that the integrally formed spring (32) comprises a compression spring. A cleaning assembly according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that it further comprises a retractable piercing element (26) which is located within the nozzle element (28). A cleaning assembly according to claim 6, characterised in that the piercing element (26) is hollow and arranged such that the liquid contained in the packet (10) passes through the hollow piercing element. A cleaning assembly according to claim 2, characterised in that the dry liquid absorbent tissue (24) comprises a multiple ply tissue whose plies are separable and separately foldable. A cleaning assembly according to any of claims 2 and 8, characterised in that the packet (10) serves as a liquid impermeable backing for said dry liquid absorbent tissue (24) during use thereof. A cleaning assembly according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the impermeable packet (10) comprises a pocket (40) disposed between a partial seal (12) formed in the packet (10) and an edge (13) of the packet (10), and that the nozzle (28) is disposed in the pocket (40) to retain the nozzle (28) within the pocket without restricting its movement therewithin.

Inventors: LEVY DAVID, LEVY, DAVID
Applicants: LEVY DAVID, LEVY, DAVID
Application year: 1994
Main classification: A47L25
IPC codes: B65D81, A47L13, A47L25, B65D75